That 2011 NBA draft

[Mal]

Williams :lol
Kanter :lol
Vesely :lol
Biyombo :lol
Freddette :lol

All went before Thompson and Leonard.

Then you have Vucevic with 16th and Jimmy Butler at 30.

That`s the reason why teams like Minnesota, Charlotte and Sacramento will always suck.

[100%duncan]

Williams? vesely? i dont know these scrubs.

[VBM]

Williams? vesely? i dont know these scrubs.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SgQYuykBSNc/maxresdefault.jpg

[Raven]

It was supposed to be one of the weakest drafts with (citing) "many european scrubs using the chance to land a big contract", it ended as one of the strongest ever.

[JamStone]

When a player lasts all the way to the last pick of the first round, it's odd to fault specific teams for not drafting him when the vast majority of the league passed on him as well. Some players are diamonds in the rough, and it appears Butler is one of those guys. And remember, he was playing a lot of PF for Marquette. Probably a question if he could make the full time transition to the wing and whether his perimeter skills were good enough to remain there, let alone be a star player.

And while I understand criticizing picks like Kanter and Biyombo and Vesely, not so much with the Derrick Williams pick. He was a fucking boss that year at Arizona. It's not like he was a Darko pick based almost purely on potential. He was wrecking everyone in college. Some highly regarded guys simply just don't pan out in the NBA. More akin to Michael Beasley than Darko.

And I do think it makes a different, however significant or insignificant, what team a player gets drafted to. High lottery pick players often go to shit teams with shit situations. You have to be a very special player to still become a star when that happens. Mid round and late round picks are going to better teams, often playoff teams. Most likely a better situation, probably better teammates, and likely a more stable environment to help a player succeed if given an opportunity. If Kawhi got drafted #2 to Minnesota and had to be a star player who needed to produce right away from day 1 with that team, those teammates, that coaching, does he become the player he is today regardless? Tough to say.

[hater]

:lol wizards

[unleashbaynes]

^true. There's a reason that the same teams are constantly finding those "diamond in the rough" type players while others are constantly missing in the draft despite high lottery picks year after year. One team may scout better, sure, but they also have a more structured environment that allows players to steadily get better over time and allows them to make mistakes, rather than expecting greatness from day one, and when it doesn't happen kicking that player to the curb.

[Mori Chu]

Isaiah Thomas was drafted 60th. :lol